“ThanksDad.”
He patted me on the back. “No worries, son. Way to followyourgut.”
8
Raine
Waking up in a hospital bed,not remembering a thing sent me into a panic. A blood curdling scream leapt from deep within my chest. Ryder came bursting through the room’s door like a bat outofhell.
“Raine? Everything'sokay,baby.”
I started hyperventilating. “What that fuck is going on,Ryder?”
He sat down on the edge of my bed. “What is the last thing you remember from lastnight?”
I tried to think but so much was fuzzy. “I remember figuring out who the guys actually were and trying to leave, but one of the guys forced me to have another beer and I gotsleepy.”
Ryder laced our fingers together. “You were drugged last night,darlin’.”
I gasped. “What the fuck?” Tears started to stream down my face as I thought about all the fucked up scenarios that could have happened while I was too fucked up to remember what hadhappened.
“Don’t worry, Raine. We got there just in time. Nothinghappened.”
I let out a deep sigh. “How’d you know where to find me or that I was actually going to be in a shittysituation?”
Ryder started to stroke my hair, lovingly looking down on me. “Honestly, none of thatmatters.”
“What aboutKeira?”
Ryder looked down at our intertwined fingers, his lips forming ahardenedline.
“OhmyGod.”
“I’m so sorry, babe. No one meant for her to get hit, but she was in the middle of afirefight.”
“Holy hell! Is everyoneelseokay?”
He nodded. “Your dad got grazed, but other than that, none of our guyswerehurt.”
Crickett came rushing into the room, running to my bedside. “For the love of God, thank you so much.” She threw her arms aroundRyder’sneck.
“I promised you I would keep her safe and prove to you that I deserved to bewithher.”
I grabbed Crickett’s hand. “How’sDad?”
With a warm smile, Crickett brushed a tear away from my cheek. “He’s a trooper; one tiny bullet isn’t enough to even scathe youroldman.”
Jesse knocked on the door and Ryder got to his feet, glancing down at Crickett. “Don’t worry, honey.Igother.”
“I love you.” He kissed my forehead before hugging Crickett. “Thanks.”
“Go find that fucker, Ryder.” Crickett winked at him as he started to follow Jesse out oftheroom.
“Oh don’t you fucking pay no mind to that, that motherfucker is going to wish he hadn't stepped foot into that house last night.” Ryder blew me a quick kiss and shut the doorbehindhim.
Ryder
“Did you find him?”I took a cigarette out of Jesse’s pack of smokes after Holt lithisup.